Garment construction



Jan. 23, 1945. H, ROY 2,367,843

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Filed May 12, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 48 6| 22 7 49 4h 41 INVENTOR MXJM ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY HERBER 'r Ru r H. ROY

GARMENT CONS TRUGTION Filed May 12, 1942 Jan. 23, 1945.

Patented Jan. 23, 1945 lJNlTED STATES harem OFFICE 2,367,843 GARMENT CONSTRUCTION Herbert Roy, New York, N. Y.

Application May 12, 1942, Serial No. 442,705

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to wearing apparel, and more particularly to garments having special back constructions.

Among the objects of this invention lies the provision of novel garment back structure permitting a greater amount of freedom of movement by the wearer and an enhancement of the appearance and style of the garment.

Another object herein lies in the provision of novel garment back construction, having the above described characteristics, which is readily throughout the life of the garment, and which requires no replaceable parts.

Garments constructed in accordance with the present invention require an extremely small amount of additional material so that the same, by reason of altered cutting, may not require material in an amount greater than an amount normally used for constructing a garment when the present invention is not utilized.

A further feature herein lies in the fact that garments made in accordance with the present invention require an extremely small amount of additional labor over that normally required.

As contrasted with prior constructions for attempting to produce similar effects, the present invention is more efficient and cheaper to install, with the result that the same may have a consequent wide scale distribution, sale, and use.

While the expansive back constructions in the present invention are extremely elficient in use, it may be noted that the same do not add appreciably to the bulk of the garment. Thus. garments made in accordance herewith of lightweight materials, when worn in warm weather, are substantially as cool as others heretofore known.

The use of inwardly directed pleats in the backs of garments, said pleats being disposed adjacent the connection of the upper rear portions of the sleeve to the garments backs, is well known and such construction has been applied to various types of uniforms and to sports clothing. A difficulty encountered with this construction, however, lies in the fact that if the additional reservoir of material included within the inwardly directed pleat is of low order, insufficient freedom of movement is permitted the wearer as he brings his arms forwardly. In an effort to compensate for the relatively large amount of additional material needed in order to provide sufficient freedom, the depth of the pleats has been increased. This has brought about another difiiculty in that after the pleat has been opened by a wearers arm movement, the cloth passes a dead center position, snaps outwardly of itself, and presents an undesirable pucker or outward bulge. While elastic means have been heretofore utilized to interconnect the inner bights or folds of the pleats, these have been subject to serious objections.- Where individual elastic straps have been used, they have caused an uneven outward appearance in the back of the garment. Where the elastic interconnection has been of a relatively large size, the bulk and comfort of the garment has been affected. Furthermore, all constructions using elastic mediums have been subject to the disadvantage that the elastic medium did not give a substantially uniform performance over a period of time and the elastic medium was usually subject to the deleterious effects caused by cleaning solvents.

In accordance with my improved construction, advantage is taken of the effects of gravity, the

natural resiliency of the fabric of which the garment is composed, and of an unusual formation and interconnection of the garment parts, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

The above recited objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, forming a material part hereof, similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which: e

Fig. l is a View in perspective, as seen generally from the rear, of a garment as worn, embodying the invention, with the externally visible parts shown in a normal or unstressed condition thereof.

Fig. v2 is a fragmentary view in perspective taken similarly to Fig. 1, but showing the parts associated with the left shoulder in a position taken thereby when under stress.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the garment back shown in Fig. 1 vn'th adjacent parts removed for purposes of clarity.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic enlarged horizontal sectional view, as might be seen from the plane 5-5 on Fig. 4, the thickness of some of the part being exaggerated.

Fig. 6 is a schematic enlarged horizontal sectional view as might be seen from the plane 6-6 on Fig. 5, the thickness of some of the parts being exaggerated. I

Fig. '7 is a schematic enlarged vertical sectional view as might be seen from the plane on Fig. 4, the thickness of some of the parts being exaggerated.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the front pleat elements and the interconnecting element, shown as removed from the other parts on Fig. 51.

Fig. 9 is a schematic enlarged vertical sectional view of a second embodiment, as might be seen from the plane on Fig. 4, .the thickness o some of the parts .being exaggerated.

Fig. 10 is.a schematicl'enl arg'ed horizontal sectional view ofathir'd [embodiment as might'be seen from .the plane 6'6 on Fig. 4,.thethickness ofsomeof the parts being exaggerated.

Turning now to the first embodiment vof themyention, illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, it will be seen '(Figs'. land 3) that .thegarment enerally indicated bynumeral H), as worn may present externally the .usual appearance of a coat in which provision has been madelin the back H for pleats l2 :and i3 whichprovide a reservoir of additional material which comes into use when the sleeves 14 or 15 are'brought forwardly in .a osition toincrease the distance between the rear lines of anchorage l6 and :l-l The lines of'anchorage are the lines along which interconnection takes place between the upp r. rear portions l8 and I9 of the sleeves I l-and |5 andthe front pleat elements and 2|.

The rear lines of anchorage at the lower portions thereof, that is to say,.belo.w the lowermost point of connection between the upper portions l8 and 19 of vthe.sleeves,.and extending downwardly to the waistline 22. (for example, line 23 on Fig. 2) are connected to the front quarters and 25 of thegarment. The construction of the garment l0. below the waistline 22 includes the lower frontquarter portions 26 and-21 andlower rear quarter portions Hand 29. The. lowerv rear quarter portions .28 and, 29 .may be disconnected along. the vent 30. in the usual manner.

The pleats I2 and i3 .are preferably substantially V-shaped in horizontal section (see Figs.

5 and 6 and .theyinclude the front pleat elements 20 and 2t and the-rear pleat. elements .30 and 3|. The rear pleatrelementsare preferably formed by oppositely and inwardlyfolding -toward each otherv the free vertical edges 32 and 33 of the upper rear quarters..3 4. and 35. The remaining inner vertical edges :36; and-3'l are folded upon themselves and the bightsBB and .39 are interconnected bythecentralbackseam-40. .Thus, the folds 4| and 42 form theoptical outer margins of. the back H The folds 4|v and 42 are preferably secured permanently, in place by means of-rowsv of..stitching, 4.3 and- 44. The rear pleat elements and .3.| extend-v continuously from the shoulder seam lines 45 and 46. to the waistline 22 and in actual. construction preferably. extend-downwardly so that the lowermost edges 41 and 48 thereof. are substantially co- As best seen in Figs. 4 and 8 of the accompanying drawings, the front pleat elements 20 and 2| are of substantially the same vertical length as the rear pleat elements 30 and 3|, respectively, and they extend from the shoulder seam lines 45 and 46 to the waistline 22, and extend sufficiently therebelow so that the lower edges thereof 49 and 59 are preferably substantially coextensive with the lowermost edges of the rear pleat elements, as has been set forth above. The outer Vertical edges 5| and 52 preferably extend laterally outwardly of the folds 4| and 42, as best seen in Fig. 3, and these edges 5| and 52 are seamed to the upper rear sleeve portions I8 and Hi and the rear edges of the front quarter portions 24 and 25 along the lines of anchorage l6 and IT. The inner opposed edges 53 and 54 of the front pleat elements are of peculiar configuration as best seen in Fig. 8 and include the upper rectilinear portions 55 and 56, the vertical curved portions 51 .and 58, and the horizontal curved portions 59 and 60,. The vertical and horizontal curved portions 51-60 define the upper limits .of the interconnecting element 6|, which may be formed by inwardly extending integral extensions of the frontpleat elements and designated as interconnecting members and 63. The lower edges of the interconnecting members 64 and .65 are preferably coextensive with the edges 49 and 59. Theinner opposed vertical edges 66 and 61 of the interconnecting members 62 and 63, respectively, are folded forwardly and outwardl .about themselve to form the bights 68 and .69, and .are interconnected by any suitable means 10, such a a row of stitches. The inner edges 32 and 33 of the rear pleat portions 30 and 3| are connected by .rectilinearlines of stitching 1 3 and 14 to theuupper rectilinear portions and 56 of the inner opposed edges 53 and 54 of the front pleats ZO-and 2|,respectively; while the vertical curved portions 51 and 58 and the horizontal curved portions 59 and 60 are reinforced by a curvilinear line of stitching 15. The lowermost portions of the front pleat elements 29 and 2| and the interconnecting members 62 and 63 are operatively connected to the lower portions the front pleat elements. 20:and 2|.

ofthe back II by a row of stitches 1| at the waistline 22, as best seen in Fig. 7.. This row of stitches 1| may, where desired, be doubled for greater strength and improved appearance.

The rear collar. line 12 is seen in Figs. 3 and 4 and may have any suitably constructed collar associated therewith in a'manner well known in the art. Assuming the rear collar or neck line .72 .to be located in a usual position, and the waistline 22 to be located in a position corresponding to the waistline of the wearer, it may be noted that the horizontal curved portions 59 and 5!! of the edges 53 and-54 are disposed within the lowermost fifth of the total distance between the waistline 22 and the neckline 12. This positioning of the horizontal curved portions 59 and may be varied within certain limits. I have found that the positioning shown is most suitable and effective for the average figure. If the upper edges, that is to say, the horizontal curved portions 59 and 60 of the interconnecting'element 6|, are-raised considerably,'a limit will be reached when, for all practical purposes, all increase in distance between the lines of anchorage I6 and H will be prevented and the purpose of the gar ment construction will be defeated. This is so because the interconnecting element 6| as well as th front pleat portions 20 and 2|, and the rear pleat portions 30 and3 l., are preferably composed of the same material as the balance of the garment. Thus, while this fabric may be woven of wool having a relatively high twist and therefore be possessed of some resiliency, as contrasted with prior art constructions in which a material containing rubber or latex threads such as Lastex are used, the interconnecting element 6| and the front pleat elements 26 and 21 may be properly described as being inelastic.

If the horizontal curved portions 58 and 50, forming the upper edge of the interconnecting element 6|, are lowered toward the waistline 22, a limit will be reached when, for all practical purposes, the pleat seating or returning action of the interconnecting element 61 will be lost.

When the back II and all of the connected structure, as previousl described as being integrated therewith, is operatively associated with the balance of the garment in a manner well known in the art, as presently understood the operation of the invention is as follows:

For example, if the left sleeve M is elevated forwardly to a position shown in Fig. 2, by reason of the action of the wearers arm the pleat I2 will open up, and previously concealed portions of the front pleat element 25] and the rear pleat element 30 will be pulled out into view, and where the movement of the sleeve M is considerable, said pleat elements will pucker outwardly therefrom, forming a bulge of material. This outward movement of the front and rear pleat elements 20 and 30 will cause a corresponding outward movement of the upper rectilinear portion 56. If a corresponding arm movementtakes place within the sleeve l5, there will be a similar but opposite movement of the portion 55. These movements are illustrated diagrammatically by dot-dash lines in Fig. 4. The portions 51 to fill, inclusive, form a catenary l6 and outward movement of the portions 55 and 56 will cause a straightening of the [curve of the catenary, and hence its elevation. Since the lowermost portions of the interconnecting element 6| are connected to the waistline of the garment by the row of stitches 1|, this will cause a corresponding distortion and elevation of the lower rear quarters 28 and 29, which distortion will be transmitted to other connected parts, such as the forward lower quarters 26 and 21 and the upper rear quarters 34 and 35. When the stress upon the lines of anchorage l6 and I! outwardly of the garment is removed by reason of the return of the sleeves to the normal, relaxed position thereof, the rear quarters 28, 29, 34 and 35, in lowering to the normal position thereof, exert a downward pull upon the catenary 16, which in turn causes a straightening out of the portions 55 and 56, which pull the inner apices adjacent the line of stiching 73 and 14 into their normally retracted and concealed positions.

When the catenary 76, as has just been described above, is straightened, it is believed there is also some tendency for the formation of undulations in the interconnecting element 6!. The formation of these undulations takes place against the pressure of the small parteof the wearer's back thereagainst, and hence it is believed that this pressure, too. facilitates the return of the catenary 75 to its normal lower position after the stress upon the sleeves has been removed. It is also believed that during a period of stress, distortion takes place within the front pleat elements an and 2| and in the interconnecting members 62 and 63. This distortion results in a temporary change in external peripheral configuration of these parts and in a corresponding expansion or compression of certain areas in the fabric of which they are composed, disturbing 1 the normal equilibrium thereof. In returning to a balanced condition, these fabric portions tend to pull the pleats I2 and [3 into their normally seated position and arrangement.

Turning now to the second embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 9, for the purpose of avoiding needless repetition, parts corresponding to those of the first embodiment are given the same reference characters with a single prime sufilx. This form of the invention diifers from the first embodiment in that the operative connection between the lower edges of the intercon necting element 6| and the waistline 22' of the back H is omitted; In this construction the elevation of the interconnecting element 6! is therefore not as directly transmitted to the parts connectively associated with the waistline of the garment and the gravity effect is not as great. Distortion of the front pleat elements and the interconnecting members does take place, however, and the pleat seating action, after shoulder and arm stress is removed, is obtained.

In the third embodiment of the invention, illustrated in Fig. 10, again repetition is avoided by using reference characters correspondin to the first embodiment with an addition of a double The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the inner edges 68" and 69" are not only interconnected with each other, but are also connected to the central back seam which, in turn, connects the inner opposed edges of the rear quarters 34" and 35". The single row of stitches 40" thus performs not only its oWn function but also performs the function of the means Til. In this construction the movement of the interconnecting element 6!" is more directly transmitted to the adjacent garment parts and more particularly to the upper rear quarters 34" and 35" of the back II".

It may thus be seen that I have disclosed a novel ,and useful garment back construction which constitutes an improvement over the heretofore known constructions for use of inverted pleats or similar cloth reservoirs for promoting arm movement freedom. My construction is consistent in operation and operates effectively throughout the life of the garment, being subject to no deleterious action by the use of cleaning solvents. Only relatively small additions of material are required, which, by adjustment in cutting, may actually result in no increase in the total yardage required by a given garment,

This construction is primarily directed to comfort and appearance and is therefore especially suited for use in connection with uniforms of our armed services, facilitating the movement of the soldier or ofiicer as he goes through his duties and preserving, at all times, a neat appearance in the garment.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. A garment comprising: sleeves; a, garment back having a plurality of pleats on the inner surface thereof, and an interconnecting control element joining said pleats, said interconnecting control element being substantially inelastic and 3. A garment comprising: sleeves; a garment back composed of material, the width of the material being greater than the normally required width of the back, the excess of said material being folded into a pair of oppositely disposed pleats, and an interconnecting control element joining said pleats, said interconnecting control element being disposed substantially below the lowest point of connection of the sleeves and said pleats.

4. A garment comprising: sleeves; a garment back having a pair of inwardly and oppositely disposed pleats on the inner surface of said back,

and an interconnecting control element joining said pleats, said interconnecting control element having the upper edge thereof disposed below the lowest points of connection between said sleeves and said back.

HERBERT ROY. 

